Flash flood kills two children in Kirkuk

They used a tractor and a pick-up truck to save the family, he added.
This picture shows a view of the ancient citadel of Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk, during a dust storm, April 9, 2022. (Photo: Shwan Nawzad/AFP)
This picture shows a view of the ancient citadel of Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk, during a dust storm, April 9, 2022. (Photo: Shwan Nawzad/AFP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The corpses of two children were repatriated on Friday overnight in a northern Kirkuk who were swept away by the intense flash floods that hit the city.

Stuck at a farm in an area between Hasar and Daramn village in Shwan subdistrict of the province, a 14-member family called for help as flash floods caused by heavy rainfall hit the area.

By the time locals arrived to rescue them, the family’s two young members, a one-month-old boy, and a year-old girl were already swept away by the flood, according to eyewitnesses.

In the past 24 hours, at least 40mm of rainfall has been recorded in Kirkuk city center, according to meteorological data compiled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

“My brother rescued seven members of the family at first,” one of the rescuers told Kurdistan 24 on Friday night at the scene.

They used a tractor and a pick-up truck to save the family, he added.

The heavy rainfall has disrupted traffic in many parts of the country, including Kurdistan Region provinces. Residents in both Kirkuk and the Kurdish region shared footage of submerged streets.

In a flash flood last year in Erbil, at least 12 people were killed by the extreme weather condition and destroyed a significant number of houses and businesses.